Microsoft expands Forefront security suite

Microsoft has revamped its Forefront security portfolio with a new web-client protection tool and an update to its secure remote-access product.

On Thursday, the software maker started selling Forefront Threat Management Gateway 2010 and Forefront Unified Access Gateway 2010.

Threat Management Gateway accesses Microsoft's reputation services to provide web client security, the company's senior product manager Joel Sider said. The tool has anti-malware, intrusion prevention, firewall and VPN capabilities.

"This is the first time customers have been able to access Microsoft's cloud-based reputation services," said Sider. "Think of it as an enormous database in the sky."

The services are provided by a variety of third-party companies, including RSA, MarkMonitor and Sender Score Certified.

Forefront Unified Access Gateway 2010, which replaces Intelligent Application Gateway, allows the management of remote users' machines through a management console.

"It's always a challenge giving employees access to company resources," said Sider. "This gives remote employees a connection."

Both products are integrated with Exchange Server 2010.

Forefront is Microsoft's business suite of protection, access, and identity management products. Rival products to Forefront are made by security companies including Symantec and McAfee.

Microsoft announced in October that Forefront Endpoint Protection, Microsoft's business end-user protection software, would be delayed until the second half of 2010.